Royal Pain
by NarutoJournal
Summary: Kiba, Hinata, Naruto, Shino, and Sakura are all sent on a mission to find and protect a princess. Things do not go as expected, and the princess develops a crush on Naruto. Will this force Hinata to confront Naruto about her confession, which he practically ignored? Somewhat of a "love triangle" Naruto-Hinata-Kiba R&R. : Not a one-shot. Rated T for now, M later on.


A/N: Hey, everybody! I'm back with a new story. I really need to finish up my others. I just got this idea into my head while driving to Seattle, so I had to let the words flow. I stayed up until 5 A.M. writing this, because sometimes I just get the opposite of writer's block, "writer's trail", let's call it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this. Reviews are very much appreciated and give me motivation to continue the story! :)

Hinata's steps echoed off the ground as she ran to the Hokage's tower. She had received a letter informing her of a new mission. It was B-rank, and she was excited to see who her teammates would be. As she went into the office her stomach dropped. Sakura, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Shino were standing in the room…Along with Naruto. She felt her face go hot as she stood next to Kiba, the farthest away from Naruto that she could. Hinata tried her hardest not to glance his way, and before she knew it they were headed out. She scolded herself inwardly for not paying attention to the debriefing, but she knew just as well that they'd go over some sort of plan. Hinata picked up Kiba's backpack and handed it to him.

"Thanks, Hinata!" Kiba grinned and patted her once on the back before throwing his arm casually around her shoulders. They jumped through the trees until dusk, and then touched down to set up camp.

"It's supposed to rain tonight, so we'll all need to share tents. Sakura you will be with Hinata, since you're both female. Naruto you're with me, and that leaves Kiba and Shino. Any questions?" Shikamaru yawned, his hands folding behind his head.

"Nope." Everyone else shook their heads. "Hinata?"

She jumped at her name, glancing at Shikamaru. "Oh-uh, no!"

The Nara gave a quick nod before standing. "We should make it to the village by sundown tomorrow. Get your fill of sleep."

They all set up their tents. Hinata's hands became clumsy from the bitterly cold air.  
"Here, just let me do it." Sakura said, taking the fabric from her hands. Hinata could swear that she saw an eye roll.

Hinata blushed and gazed at the ground, fingering the hem of her sweater.  
"Hinata are you getting cold?" Kiba asked, taking a seat next to her.

"Only a little…" She mumbled. He opened up his jacket and pulled her next to him, wrapping it around her. She leaned into the warmth of his chest. "Thanks, Kiba." She smiled.  
He rubbed her hands with his own to warm up her frozen fingers.

"Anytime." He grinned back.

Naruto watched them with curiosity. He wondered what they were doing. Were they going out? At that he felt jealousy rear its ugly head. He remembered when she had almost died for him. She'd been willing to end her life just to prove that she loved him, and help him out just a little. He remembered her face, so glowing and beautiful even with blood running down it as she stumbled over to him. Why had he waited so long to respond to her confession? Had he waited TOO long? Was it too late? Was that a good thing?

He was still in shock mode, even a whole year later. He didn't know what he felt, besides flattered. He felt so happy that someone like her could love him. He loved people like her. The quiet, weird ones. Maybe he even just loved her in general. Or maybe he didn't. He wished he had a clue. Despite his confusion, seeing Hinata with that dog definitely made him realize a couple of things: he was protective of her with other males, and he was very, very jealous.

"So did Naruto even talk to you yet?" Kiba raised a brow, and Hinata furrowed hers.

"No... I honestly don't think he ever will. It's alright, though, I suppose. I mean I did say it just to get it out on the table... I didn't expect anything on his part. It would have been stupid to, obviously, anyways..."

"It's okay baby doll" He hugged her, resting his chin on her head.

"Oh, shush." She giggled at his nickname for her, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I love you." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"I love you too, Kiba." She smiled up at him.

Naruto frowned and sighed, growing angry. She said she had loved him for years! How did she just move on to Kiba so fast? Maybe she just gave up. It was his fault; he was so stupid...What a year even _that_ long? Considering all of the years she'd supposedly "loved" him? He sure felt like it wasn't. He rolled his eyes and stood, heading off to bed.

Hinata sat up and left the tent, admiring the colorful sunrise. It gave her so much energy.  
She made tea for everyone along with some fish she caught in the lake and some berries. She also cooked rice, making balls out of it and stuffing them with the fish.  
Naruto followed his nose out of his tent. He found Hinata making breakfast for everyone.  
"Here you go, Naruto-Kun…" She bowed her head and stuck both arms out to hand him the flat little piece of wood which held the food.  
Everyone else was eating already.

He took a bite. "Wow, Hinata! This tastes amazing. Your cooking's always the best! I was expecting to have to eat rations. Thank you!"  
Hinata blushed, looking up at him from under her dark lashes. "I-It's really no problem, Naruto-Kun."

"It is really good." Kiba piped up.

"It's delicious." Shino added.

"Best breakfast I've had in a while." Shikamaru said.

"It _is _pretty good." Sakura shrugged.

Hinata nodded respectfully. "Thank you very much."

They traveled all the next day, making it to the town just as the sun began to descend behind the mountains.

"Where do we go now?" Kiba asked.

"We have to look for the princess. Remember, she's being hunted by the council in her village so be very clear on who you are when you find her. Sakura, you're with Shino. Kiba, you're with me. Naruto, that leaves you with Hinata. That way we each have a type of tracker in our pair. Sakura is good in close combat due to her strength while Shino is more of a distance fighter. Kiba is very impulsive so I will help him think things through. He is also a close-range fighter most of the time while I use my skills from more of a distance. Naruto, I hate to say it, but you are the strongest out of us. You will be able to attack while Hinata defends, because we may be attacked by ninja. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads. Hinata played with her fingers anxiously. She had to go with Naruto... Oh no.

They had been searching for about an hour, and not a word was said that didn't apply to the mission. For the first time in her friendship with Naruto things were getting really...awkward. Naruto was looking in a trash can when Hinata spotted Shikamaru heading their way.

"Naruto, we already found her."

"Ahh!" Naruto fell in to the trash can, startled from the sudden confrontation.

The princess giggled, delighted. "Aww he is just so cute!" She said when he poked his head out of the can. She flipped her long orange hair.

"Wha-?" He blushed and scratched the back of his head.

Hinata wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling nauseous and upset. She frowned and stared down at her shoes.

"You are just the cutest thing! Look at you! I love blondes, too. And those little whiskers..." She ruffled his hair.

"Well thanks I guess." He was still blushing, now getting out of the garbage.

"Now what?" Kiba had a way of always voicing what Hinata was thinking.

"We head back to our village. She will remain there until it is safe to return to her own."

Kiba nodded up. "Okay."

By the time they returned to camp after eating in town, it was nightfall. The shinobi began to wander into their tents.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" The princess asked. "The girl's tent only fits two."

Sakura and Hinata avoided eye contact with her. "Well then, I guess I'll just sleep with... Naruto, is it?" She quirked a neatly waxed eyebrow.

Hinata flushed red. "You can have my s-spot. I'll just sleep outside!" She said a little too quickly. Everyone glanced her way. She showed the princess her sleeping bag, and then went to make herself a bed out of moss.

"This is it? No air mattress? Nothing? I'm a princess for crying out loud." Even Sakura looked annoyed at this brat.

"Don't you complain about having a sleeping bag and pillow when Hinata gave those to you and now has nothing. You're so ungrateful." Kiba said what everyone was thinking, rudely pointing a finger at her.

She looked shocked. "Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?" Kiba asked, getting in her face.

"Look; just because this little peasant gave up her makeshift bed for me doesn't mean anything. It's all about the chain: I'm at the top, she's at the bottom. She should have offered before I even noticed I didn't have a bed. _**That**_ would have been the polite thing to do."  
**"DON'T YOU GO SAYING WHAT'S POLITE AND WHAT'S NOT YOU SNOOTY BITCH**!" Kiba yelled straight at her.

She stuck her nose up, crossing her arms. "Hmph."

"And just so you know; that so-called 'peasant' happens to be the heiress to the current most thriving clan in Konoha."

"She'll still never be a princess."

"Some would say that she already is. She sure acts and looks more like one than you do." Kiba sneered.

Hinata blushed at his kind words.

"Come on, Hinata." Kiba held his arm around her, taking her into his tent. They returned a few minutes later with Kiba carrying his sleeping bag and pillow. He unzipped the bag, laying it over the moss Hinata had set up and set the pillow on top of it. He picked Hinata up, sitting down with her in his lap, spreading his legs. She slid in between them, her tiny body ever so slender compared to his. The Inuzaka wrapped his arms around her and rested his head in her shoulder. Naruto just gaped.

"What...what's going on with them?" He said after fixing his dropped jaw.

"They are very close friends. They provide each other the companionship they otherwise would not receive." Shino spoke up.

Next time Naruto looked they were lying down, cuddling as Hinata was drifting off to sleep.  
Naruto sighed and went to lay down himself, wishing he could hold Hinata that way.


End file.
